Milk cooler



P 311940. J.-GREGQRY "ET AL 2,213,671

MILK QOOLER Filed April 23, 1940 "'3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MILK COOLER Application April 23, 1940, Serial No. 331,193

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvement in milk coolers of the kind wherein, as a sanitary measure, the cooling element is incased in a shell having cover sections which are adapted to be normally closed but which may be opened when desired to obtain access to the cooling element and other internally located parts.

In the use of this type of cooler, contrary to hygienic procedure, it has frequently been the practice to leave the cover sections open or to remove them entirely, thereby exposing the films of milk flowing over the cooling element directly to the dust, bacteria and other impurities present in the air in the vicinity. The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to prevent contamination of the milk in this manner,

this object contemplating a cooler which is so designed that it can be rendered operative only by properly closing the cover sections. Improper use of the cooler is thus prevented.

A further object is to provide for facility in cleaning the cooler and in assembling and disassembling the parts.

A still further object is to provide a cooler which is simple and compact in design and which occupies a minimum of space.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cooler embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section taken along line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken along line 55 of Figure 4.

Figures 6 and '7 are views in elevation of the opposite ends of the cooler.

Figure 8 is a detail view of one of the hinge connections of the cover sections.

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken along line Ill-l0 of Figure 9.

The cooler, as illustrated, includes a cooling element I2 (Figure 9), an upper distributing trough [3, a lower collecting trough l4 and cover sections l5 and I6. The said cover sections, the

end walls I1 and N3 of the cooling element and the collecting trough l4 provide a cooling chamber l9. The side flanges 20 of the cover sections abut the vertical edges of the end walls ll and [8 of the cooling element and have abutting extensions 20a which rest upon the top edges of the said end walls (see Figure 6) and the top flange 2| of the cover section I6 overlaps the corresponding flange of the cover section [5. The milk, or other liquid to be cooled, is introduced into the trough I3 through an inlet opening 22 formed in the top flange of the cover section 13 and is discharged from the trough through two series of perforations 23, one series of perforations being located at one side of a central division fin 24 formed on the top of the cooling element and the other series of perforations being located at the opposite side of the division fin. The liquid which is discharged through the perforations is thus caused to flow down the op posite sides of the cooling element in thin films and collects in the lower trough It from which it passes through an outlet connection 25. Pref,- erably the distributing trough I3, as: shown in Figure 10, is detachably supported above the cooling element I2 by extensions. 13a which are 20 insertable in, and which rest upon the bottoms of, vertical slots I3b formed in the end walls H and N3 of the cooling element.

The cooling element may be formed in any suitable manner. As illustrated, it consists of ;25 two metal sheets having uniformly spaced aligned corrugations, the facing abutting peak portions of the corrugations being soldered together as indicated at 26 to provide a vertical series of horizontally extending tubes. At one side of the cooling element alternate of the abutting tube walls are deformed, or cut away, to: provide connecting passages 21 (Figure 10) while at the opposite side the intermediate walls are deformed, or cut away, to provide connecting passages 28. A sinuous path is thus provided for the cooling medium which is adapted to enter the cooling element through an inlet pipe 23 and leave it through an outlet pipe 30. The forming of the connecting passages 2'! and 28 in the manner described spaces portions of the ends of the tubes from the end walls I! and i8. To close the openings thus formed, the pockets at the ends of, and between the crests of, the tubes may, as shown, be filled withsolder 28a. Down wardly and inwardly inclined ribs 2819 at the lower end of, and at opposite sides of, the cooling element intercept any liquid flowing over the cooling tubes adjacent the end walls H and i8 and direct it away from the said walls. Entry 50 of such liquid into the trough M is thus insured.

The pipe 29 is connected by an elbow 3| (Figure 1) to a vertical extension 32 while the pipe 30 is connected by an elbow 33 to a vertical 5 5 extension 34. Cooling fluid is supplied to the extension 32 through a flexible tube 35 and discharges from the extension 34 into a similar tube 36. The inlet and outlet pipes 29 and 30, the elbows 3| and 33 and the vertical pipe extensions 32 and 34 may be, and preferably are, utilized in mounting the cooler, the said extensions serving as trunnions and fitting in openings 31 formed in the upper and lower arms 38 of a bracket 39 which is adapted to be mounted upon a wall or other convenient supporting surface. The construction described enables the cooler to be swung to various positions, as indicated in Figure 2. In order to hold the cooler in such positions, it is preferred that aflange 40 on the elbow 33 be formed with indentations 4| (Figures 4 and 5) which headed elements 42 carried by the upper arm of the bracket 39 may enter and hold the cooler against accidental angular displacement.

The cover sections l5 and it are intended to 1 be closed during use of the cooler but are connected to the end wall I! of the cooling element by hinges 43 so that they may be opened to provide access to the cooling element and the trough l3. Preferably the hinges 43 are of the hookand-eye type in order that the cover sections may be completely detached, if desired. In accordance with the invention the lower marginal edges of the cover sections'are inturned to pro,- vide flanges 44 for cooperating with flanges 45 formed on the trough [4. The flanges 44 curve inwardly and upwardly while the flanges 45 curve-outwardly and downwardly. The two pairs of flanges interfit, therefore, so that the coll cting trough is supported by the cover sections in the desired relation with respect to the cooling element, the engagement of the said flanges serving to hold the cover sections closed. Free movement of the trough l4 lengthwise to permit its removal and replacement and the opening of the cover section is, however, permitted, a handle 46 being fixed to the outer end of the trough to enable it to be manipulated with facility.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the collecting trough I4 is supported in cooperating relation with respect to the cooling element by thelower inturned marginal edges of the cover sections and that the said trough can only 'beso supported when the cover sections are closed. Use of the cooler'either with the cover sections open or with them removed is thus pre- Vented, it being noted that to ready the cooler for use the cover sections must be first closed and the collecting trough then inserted in'the manner of a drawer. Referring to Figure 9, it will be noted that the flanges 44 provide channels along-the lower edges of the cover sections. Any moisture of condensation which may form upon the cover sections will drain into these channels and hence will be prevented from entering the trough I4;

The construction described has the advantage that the cooling of the liquid is carried out hygienically in a closed. chamber from which dust, bacteria and other impurities present in the air are for the most part excluded. A further advantage obtained is that ready access may be had to ,the parts of the cooler for purposes of inspection and cleaning, the swivel mounting of the cooler enabling it to be swung against the supporting wall when not in use so as to occupy aminimum of space. We claim as our invention: I

"1'. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling element over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a casing for said element, said casing having a section which is adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but which may be opened to provide access to said element, a receptacle into which the cooled liquid drains and means which is operative only when said section is closed for supporting said receptacle in predetermined relation with respect to said element.

2. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling element over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a casing for said element, said casing having companion cover sections which are adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but which may be opened to provide access to said element, a receptacle into which the cooled liquid drains and means which is operative only when said sections are closed for supporting said receptacle in predetermined relation with respect to said element.

3. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling eelment over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a casing for said element, said casing having companion cover sections which are adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but which may be opened to provide access to said element, ledges provided upon said sections and a receptacle into which the cooled liquid drains, said receptacle being re- 5 movably supported upon said ledges.

4. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling element over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a casing for said element, said casing having companion cover sec.--

tions, hinge mountings for said sections, said sections being adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but being movable to open positions to provide access to said element,'flanges along the lower edges of said sections and a receptacle removabl'y supported by said flanges in predetermined relation with respect to said element and into which the cooled liquid drains, said receptacle having flanges which cooperate with the flanges on said sections only when the latter are in their closed positions. 1

5. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling element over whichthe liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a casing for said element, said casing having companion cover sections, hinge mountings for said sections, said sections being adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but being movable to open positions to provide access to said element, flanges along the lower edges of said sections and a receptacle supported by said flanges in predetermined relation with respect to said element and into which the cooled liquid drains, said receptacle having flanges which cooperate with the flanges on said sections only when the latter are in their closed positions and which are adapted to hold said sections closed.

6. A liquid cooler of the character described including a cooling element over which the liquid to be cooled is caused to flow, a distributing.

trough into which the liquid is initially introduced, a casing for said element and trough, said casing having companion cover sections which are adapted to be closed during use of the cooler but which are movable to open positions to provide access to said element and trough, ledges along the lower edges of said cover sections and a collecting trough supported by said ledges in predetermined relation with respect to said element and into which the cooled liquid drains.

vide access to said element and. trough and a receptacle into which the cooled liquid drains, said receptacle being removably supported by said sections only when the latter are in their closed positions.

JAMES GREGORY. LEO A. BABCOCK. 

